341
by talk of michelangelo
Summary: love lives and counting days.


_She tells him, "Say jump and I will." _

_He grins wickedly then, looks at the gushing water beneath them and he knows she can't die from this, and if anything she's all talk and she'll never follow through with it and somewhere along these lines the word came flying out of his mouth. _

_"Jump."_

The best thing women are at is complaining. Usually not about something particularly substantial but this time it sort of is. To them, anyways. In one corner of the living room is a collection of mismatched chairs and a table. A pile of books, scrolls, lay unattended in a pile not too far from where four girls sit.

"He's ignoring me." Sakura says, frowning. "At least, I _think_ he's ignoring me; I mean, it's not that hard to notice _pink_ _hair_ in any given place. He just looks right through me. I don't know what the hell I did wrong but he's being immature about it."

Ino's eyebrows raise. "Asshole."

"Don't call him that!" Sakura replies heatedly, even though she can pretty much completely agree. She loves the guy, but he infuriates her to no end. He's spoiled and bratty and sulky and acts like he owns the world, and she can't believe she loves him so much.

"Then don't whine and expect me _not_ to call your sissy boy names!"

Sakura looks to Tenten and Hinata for support, and the former shrugs apologetically, agreeing with Ino, while the latter gives her a comforting, sympathetic smile. She rolls her eyes. Some friends.

_"Tell me to move and I will." _

_He glowers at her, panicked but too proud to show his concern. He licks dry lips and his arms aren't working, aren't moving the way he wants them to. The rumbling of engines and rattling of tracks grows louder, shakier. He gives in because this time he isn't the one in control, she is. _

"_Move, goddamn it."_

"I've got no problems, actually. Neji and I are fine. I mean, aside from a couple problems with his clan, we're, um, we're actually going to get married." Tenten is completely prepared for her friends to be excited, but she isn't quite ready for Ino to tackle her to the floor and start crying.

"Have you planned anything yet?" She grins, voice watery, as she straddles the brunette.

"Ge'off me," Tenten grumbles, her hands (rough no matter how much lotion she applies) finding their way to Ino's sides and poking without mercy. Squealing, Ino squirms, finally falling over and off of Tenten.

"Congratulations," Hinata says for the second time. She's known for a while, now- the clan may be discreet but the walls have ears. That, and she sort of kind of eavesdropped into a conversation between her father and Neji. She and Tenten exchange a big smile that has their eyes crinkling at the corners. Sakura and Ino don't need to know anything.

"I'm so happy for you," Sakura says, pulling Tenten up effortlessly and crushing her in a bear hug. Tenten breathes in the bland, comforting vanilla scent that Sakura seems to bathe herself in.

Sometimes she catches herself thinking that if only she had Neji and these girls, the world couldn't compete with her for a second.

_Five o'clock and she wakes up and stares at the clock, then at the other person occupying the bed. Looks at herself. They're the same. Naked skin, damp hair, regret. Protection thrown to the side, used. She presses her lips together. _

_She knows he's asleep but she says, "Tell me to leave and I will." _

_She knows he's asleep but she knows his answer and it's how he'll always always always answer when it involves her. _

_Leave._

They turn expectantly to Hinata, who blushes profusely as she says, "Um, Naruto asked me out to a second date."

It's a face-fault moment but Hinata's too sweet and naive and so precious that they all just smile and are happy for her.

"Afterwards you're gonna go steady, and then he'll ask you to marry him, and you'll have hyperactive stuttering blonde babies with whiskers and purple eyes," Ino says, winking. Sakura and Tenten let a chuckle escape at Hinata's expense.

"But, um, this time he wants to go out to the park for a picnic."

"Wasn't your first date at Ichiraku?" Sakura's brow furrows, Hinata nods. "Well... it's an improvement... So long as he actually brings food."

"I'm bringing the food," Hinata says. "He's finding us a spot and bringing the blanket, and um, bug spray, stuff like that."

The other three exchange a look. Well, it's a start.

_"Was it you?" _

_"Was what me?" She asks, mock-clueless. He doesn't glare at her, but his gaze hardens and his eyebrows contort together. _

_"Did I fuck you last night?" She almost cringes at the hard words. He's never been one for subtlety. She swallows, and the answer must be written all over her face because his face crumples. She didn't think she was that easy to read, but he knows her too well. _

_She licks her lips and he catches the action, even in his state. _

_"Tell me to say no and I will." _

_Without even hesitating he answers._

_"Say it."_

Then it's Ino's turn and she finds it kind of funny that they can fall into this pattern, this corny girl-bonding time, without even uttering a single word of it. They gather for tea at her living place, and suddenly they're going around a circle talking about their relationships.

She doesn't really want to answer, but she will anyways.

"I've been dreaming," she says, voice laced with nostalgia. They wait for her to continue, but she doesn't say anymore. Tenten pokes around for more details.

"About what?"

"Kiba. Sometimes I see him walking down the street, right past the shop, when I'm opening up. Leather jacket, messy hair, stupid dog boy." Tenten and Sakura look at her with remorse and Hinata's breath breaks, and Ino just shrugs her bird-wing shoulders.

"He's dead, Ino."

"Three hundred forty one days." Without skipping a beat, Ino names the number. "I think I'm getting crazier than I already am." She belts out a loud strong Ino laugh, but the others don't laugh with her.

Hinata leans in, voice of quiet reason in delicate situations, and takes the blonde's hand. "Sometimes I think we want your happy ending to happen more than our own."

_"Hi." She draws in the sand with her toe. He grunts in return, never looking away from the sea in front of him. She sits down beside him and neither utter a word for the next hour. Then she turns to face him, looks him straight in the eye, breathes in saltwater and canine and cologne and motor oil, and says, "Tell me to stop loving you and I will." _

_His eyes shutter and his mouth stays shut. As if he's actually _thinking_. She's dimly insulted, but then again they're both over the edge, and any hurt is dull by now. _

_Then his mouth opens and she takes in a breath and she's known the answer for a long time, and maybe he has too. _

_"Stop."_

* * *

:x so apparently i have an iinability to write any other pairing besides kibaxino.  
(there would be page-breaks on this but ff decided to bully me & mess the paragraph placements if i put them in so there are none sorryyyy.)

**082510**


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